1.1M rail trips hit; SRT adds extra trains to meet New Year demand
Travel demand surges as city commuters and holiday travelers push rail ridership to record levels, prompting authorities to increase capacity and tighten safety measures.
- Rail passenger volume surged to over 1.14 million trips on Saturday, the second day of the New Year travel period.
- To manage the high demand, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) added two special supplementary trains on the busy Northern and Southern lines.
- The majority of trips (1,059,614) were on urban mass transit systems, with several lines exceeding forecasts due to holiday festivities.
Pichet Kunadhamraks, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), revealed that on Saturday (December 27, 2025), the second day of the 2026 New Year travel facilitation plan, rail passenger volume surged to a total of 1,147,012 trips.
The ridership breakdown is as follows:
- Intercity Trains (State Railway of Thailand): 87,398 trips (Southern Line remains the busiest).
- Urban Mass Transit (Bangkok & Vicinity): 1,059,614 trips.
Intercity Travel: Southern and Northeastern Lines Lead Demand
For long-distance travel departing Bangkok, the top three busiest routes were:
- Southern Line: 28,247 trips
- Northeastern Line: 24,317 trips
- Northern Line: 17,449 trips
To prevent passengers from being stranded on Sunday (December 28), the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has added two special supplementary trains:
- Northern Line: Special Train No. 5 (Krung Thep Aphiwat – Chiang Mai), departing at 19:05.
- Southern Line: Special Train No. 983 (Krung Thep Aphiwat – Yala), departing at 19:30.
Urban Rail: Gold Line Surges 40% Amid Countdown Festivities
Several mass transit lines saw ridership significantly exceeding forecasts, signalling a vibrant tourism atmosphere:
- Gold Line: 40.16% above forecast (12,614 trips), driven by the Amazing Thailand Countdown 2026 at ICONSIAM.
- Pink Line: 12.98% above forecast (44,876 trips).
- Green Line (BTS): 9.14% above forecast (550,062 trips).
Critical Safety Warning: Zero Tolerance for Track Trespassing
Despite smooth operations overall, a tragic accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday.
Rapid Train No. 134 struck and killed an individual between Nong Phluang and Ban Lueam stations.
The victim was reportedly sitting on the rail head at close range.
"I urge the public to never enter restricted railway zones or sit on the tracks. Your safety is our highest priority during this festive season," Pichet emphasised.
Policy Milestone: New Rail and Common Ticketing Acts Enacted
In a significant development for Thailand's infrastructure, the Rail Transport Act 2025 and the Common Ticketing System Management Act 2025 were officially published in the Royal Gazette on Saturday.
These laws provide the legal framework to modernise Thai rail services, enhance safety standards, and ensure seamless connectivity through a unified ticketing system.
